Study
“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” Joshua 1:8 NLT
What is the first thought that comes to your mind when I say the word “study”? The first thought for me is “school,” which then makes me feel dread (I wasn’t a very good student in school). For me the word “study” is directly linked to a test. That is not the thought in our verse today. The word study means: the devotion of time and attention to acquiring knowledge on a subject. The author of Joshua starts the verse by telling us we are to gain knowledge from the Bible continually. This is not a cram event right before an exam, this is an ongoing regular part of our life. The next thought in the verse tells us we should engage in this process day and night. The author is not telling us that with our every waking hour we should be studying; he is saying that studying God’s instructions should be a normal part of our lives. Which leads me to ask the obvious question. How do I make studying God’s word a normal, natural part of my day? Let me share a few of the things I have learned that help me study God’s word regularly. First, I have to
plan to read/listen to the Bible when I am the most awake and alert–for me that is the morning hours (I am writing this at 4:45 am). This may not be your awake time. If not, when are you the most awake? Set some of that time aside. Second, I find that if I read God’s word to meet with God, I learn far more than if I read for just information. So, I ask a few questions as I read. What can I learn about God’s character from these verses? How do these verses apply to the day I am going into? How should these truths I am learning change my character? Try asking these or a few of your own questions as you read. Lastly, I read small sections repeatedly. It takes awhile for truths to sink into my thick head, so reading passages many times is extremely helpful. Remember to pray and ask God to open your heart and speak to you as you study. God is a personal God who delights in being with and hearing from his children.
-Pastor Tim